There was a moment, just after the bankruptcy, when it seemed things would turn out differently-when there might even have been a revolution in Orange County. A loss of $1.7 billion in taxpayer funds coupled with the rare, nauseating glimpse of politicians at work infuriated tens of thousands of normally apathetic citizens. A government ruled entirely by die-hard conservatives had failed and become the butt of jokes around the world.

Poll after poll showed citizens countywide overwhelmingly favored drastic, corrective government reform. A daily barrage of hate mail arrived for the supervisors. Several people spoke of lynchings-we presume figuratively. Supervisor Gaddi Vasquez-the Latino face of the new Republican party-went suddenly silent, ultimately resigned, and disappeared from the harsh glare of formal politics.

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